CSU Channel Islands benefits from its unique name

The John Spoor Broome Library on the CSU Channel Islands campus in Camarillo was opened in 2008. It was designed by British architect Lord Norm Foster, who also designed the Beijing Airport.

Special to the Star

On paper, it's California State University Channel Islands, but many students call it Channel Islands or simply C.I.

To the chagrin of university officials, some call it sushi and sea-sucky.

Whatever you call it, the youngest school in the Cal State system is a big draw simply because of its name. It doesn't hurt that "islands" is in the title. Students and faculty members are lured by the prospect of beach life and the seaside breeze.

"It gives us a buzz," said CSU Channel Islands President Richard Rush.

When the school opened its doors a decade ago, officials had to break the news to some students that classes were not actually held on an island.

"In the beginning, people asked, 'Where do you take the boat?' " Rush said.

A prospective student from New Jersey, who thought the California waves would lap up against the campus, said his main reason for applying was to join the surf club.

"We had to write him to say, 'Not quite,' " said J. Handel Evans, who led the development of the university as the planning president.

Naming the Camarillo school was an important milestone, particularly in early fundraising efforts for the university.

"One of the most important things during this process is surprisingly getting the right name so you have something to talk about," Evans said. "When I came here, it was the Ventura Project, but when it was named, it became a university."

In 1996, a group of community leaders named the school California State University Channel Islands. California State University Ventura County was among the options considered.

The idea to name the school after this region's signature group of islands was planted by Evans during the decision-making process. Before coming to Ventura County, Evans oversaw the conversion of the Fort Ord Army post to CSU Monterey Bay.

The school's name was controversial because people had different ideas about naming it after the communities of Seaside, Carmel, Monterey or other neighborhoods. One day, Monterey Bay came to Evans' wife, Carol.

"At dinner, my wife was sitting out overlooking the ocean and wondered, 'Why don't we call it Monterey Bay? It'll cut out all the petty bickering,' " Evans said.

Naming the campus Monterey Bay set a precedent in the Cal State system, Evans said. All the other schools were named after a city.

"Nobody really owned it from the city. It belonged to everyone," Evans said. "We wanted it to be a regional university."

CSU Hayward was renamed CSU East Bay in 2005.

Now 10 years old, Channel Islands seems like a perfect name for Ventura County's only four-year public university. And by now, most people know classes aren't held on an island. But the silly ways the school's acronym is pronounced still plague the campus.

Rush winces when he hears "sea-sushi" or "sea-sucky."

"It's a mouthful," said Rush, who prefers C.I.

Evans, who was teased after Channel Islands was named, isn't too concerned.

"We took a lot of heat," Evans said. "But that sort of thing happens in a funny sort of way. It's sort of the identity of the school."

Shortly after the university was named, a member of the academic senate sent Evans a windup sushi toy.

Evans pointed out UC Santa Cruz and its oft-ridiculed mascot, the banana slug.

"At the time, the board of regents went nuts. Now people are very proud of the banana slug. They sell the sweatshirts and all sorts of stuff," Evans said. "The university becomes what it wants to be. If it doesn't want to be called sushi, it won't after some time."